Construction machine

• US 8,672,073 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Inventors: Ueda, Kazuhiro, Tsuchihashi, Tomoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIGGS, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US13/778,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20130228388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 180 681- 683, 180/69.2, 180/69.6, 296/193.11, 165/41, 165/44, 165/51
• US Class Current: 180/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/02 concerning intake
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/06 using structural parts of the vehicle as ducts, e.g. frame parts
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/0866 Engine compartment, e.g. heat exchangers, exhaust filters, cooling devices, silencers, mufflers, position of hydraulic pumps in the engine compartment

Abstract

A construction machine includes an engine disposed in an engine room, a heat exchanger disposed in the engine room, an air intake passage configured to provide a communication between the interior and the exterior of the engine room, and a cooling fan disposed in the engine room. The cooling fan is configured to draw external air into the engine room through the air intake passage by rotation thereof, and to flow the external air for allowing the external air to pass the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has an air intake surface formed on a side portion thereof. The air intake surface is a surface configured to receive airflow to be drawn into the heat exchanger. The air intake passage is configured to flow the external air drawn to the air intake passage along a route passing a position over the heat exchanger and reaching the air intake surface.

Claims

1. A construction machine, comprising:

an engine room;

an engine disposed in the engine room;

a heat exchanger disposed in the engine room;

an air intake passage configured to provide a communication between an interior and an exterior of the engine room; and

a cooling fan disposed in the engine room, the cooling fan being configured to draw an external air into the engine room through the air intake passage by rotation of the cooling fan, and to flow the external air in such a manner that the external air passes through the heat exchanger, wherein

the heat exchanger has an air intake surface formed on a side portion of the heat exchanger, the air intake surface being a surface configured to receive an airflow to be drawn into the heat exchanger, and

the air intake passage is configured to flow the external air drawn to the air intake passage along a route passing a first position just above the heat exchanger and bending downward at a second position downstream of the first position, to reach the air intake surface.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein

the air intake passage has an upper passage portion configured to extend from the exterior of the engine room to the interior of the engine room, and to pass the first position just above the heat exchanger, an entirety of the upper passage portion being disposed at a position higher than a position of the heat exchanger.

3. The construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising an air intake duct having an inner space for forming an upper passage portion of the air intake passage, the upper passage portion being configured to extend from the exterior of the engine room to the interior of the engine room, and to pass the first position just above the heat exchanger, wherein

the air intake duct has a main air inlet port in a first end thereof, and an air discharge port in a second end thereof, the second end being opposite to the first end,

the main air inlet port is disposed outside the engine room, and

the air discharge port is opened toward a space to which the air intake surface of the heat exchanger faces in the engine room.

4. A construction machine, comprising:

an engine room;

an engine disposed in the engine room;

a heat exchanger disposed in the engine room;

an air intake passage configured to provide a communication between an interior and an exterior of the engine room;

a cooling fan disposed in the engine room, the cooling fan being configured to draw an external air into the engine room through the air intake passage by rotation of the cooling fan, and to flow the external air in such a manner that the external air passes through the heat exchanger, wherein

the heat exchanger has an air intake surface formed on a side portion of the heat exchanger, the air intake surface being a surface configured to receive an airflow to be drawn into the heat exchanger, and

the air intake passage is configured to flow the external air drawn to the air intake passage along a route passing a position over the heat exchanger and reaching the air intake surface;

an air intake duct having an inner space for forming an upper passage portion of the air intake passage, the upper passage portion being configured to extend from the exterior of the engine room to the interior of the engine room, and to pass the position over the heat exchanger; and

an equipment space disposed forward of the engine room and on one of sides of the construction machine in a transverse direction thereof orthogonal to a longitudinal direction thereof, the equipment space being configured to house pieces of equipment including a working oil tank, wherein

the air intake duct has a main air inlet port in a first end thereof, and an air discharge port in a second end thereof, the second end being opposite to the first end,

the main air inlet port is disposed outside the engine room,

the air discharge port is opened toward a space to which the air intake surface of the heat exchanger faces in the engine room,

the main air inlet port is opened toward a front side of the construction machine, and

the air intake duct extends in the longitudinal direction of the construction machine, while passing through an upper portion of the equipment space.

5. The construction machine according to claim 4, wherein

the engine, the heat exchanger, and the cooling fan are disposed side by side in the engine room in the transverse direction, the heat exchanger being disposed at a rightmost position or at a leftmost position among the engine, the heat exchanger, and the cooling fan, and

the equipment space and the air intake duct are disposed on a same side as the heat exchanger in the transverse direction.

6. The construction machine according to claim 4, wherein

the air intake duct is disposed in such a state that a center of the air intake duct in a width direction thereof along the transverse direction is displaced inwardly of the construction machine in a width direction thereof along the transverse direction with respect to a center of the equipment space in a width direction thereof along the transverse direction.

7. The construction machine according to claim 6, further comprising:

a driver'"'"'s seat disposed forward of the engine room and on the side opposite to the side where the equipment space is disposed in the transverse direction; and

a cover member configured to surround the equipment space for forming the equipment space, wherein

the cover member has an upper corner portion disposed at a position close to a widthwise outer end of the construction machine, and at an upper portion of the cover member, and

the upper corner portion has an inclined outer surface configured to incline downwardly toward the widthwise outer end of the construction machine.

8. The construction machine according to claim 4, further comprising a driver'"'"'s seat disposed forward of the engine room and on the side opposite to the side where the equipment space is disposed in the transverse direction, wherein

the main air inlet port is disposed at a forward position with respect to a standard position of the ears of an operator seated in the driver'"'"'s seat.

9. The construction machine according to claim 4, further comprising

a cover member configured to surround the equipment space for forming the equipment space, wherein

the cover member is formed with an auxiliary air inlet port, and

an auxiliary air passage is formed in an inside of the cover member, the auxiliary air passage being configured to flow an external air drawn into the inside of the cover member through the auxiliary air passage port to a space to which the air intake surface of the heat exchanger faces in the engine room via a space outside of the air intake duct in the equipment space.

10. The construction machine according to claim 9, further comprising a guide plate configured to guide an airflow flowing through the auxiliary air passage to a position higher than a position of the heat exchanger so as to merge with an external airflow flowing through the air intake passage.

12. The construction machine according to claim 7, wherein

the main air inlet port is disposed at a forward position with respect to a standard position of the ears of an operator seated in the driver'"'"'s seat.

13. The construction machine according to claim 7, wherein

the cover member is formed with an auxiliary air inlet port, and

an auxiliary air passage is formed in an inside of the cover member, the auxiliary air passage being configured to flow an external air drawn into the inside of the cover member through the auxiliary air passage port to a space to which the air intake surface of the heat exchanger faces in the engine room via a space outside of the air intake duct in the equipment space.

11. A construction machine, comprising:

an engine room;

an engine disposed in the engine room;

a heat exchanger disposed in the engine room;

an air intake passage configured to provide a communication between an interior and an exterior of the engine room;

a cooling fan disposed in the engine room, the cooling fan being configured to draw an external air into the engine room through the air intake passage by rotation of the cooling fan, and to flow the external air in such a manner that the external air passes through the heat exchanger, wherein

the heat exchanger has an air intake surface formed on a side portion of the heat exchanger, the air intake surface being a surface configured to receive an airflow to be drawn into the heat exchanger, and

the air intake passage is configured to flow the external air drawn to the air intake passage alone a route passing a position over the heat exchanger and reaching the air intake surface; and

an air intake duct having an inner space for forming an upper passage portion of the air intake passage, the upper passage portion being configured to extend from the exterior of the engine room to the interior of the engine room, and to pass the position over the heat exchanger, wherein

the air intake duct has a main air inlet port in a first end thereof, and an air discharge port in a second end thereof, the second end being opposite to the first end,

the main air inlet port is disposed outside the engine room, and

the air discharge port is opened toward a space to which the air intake surface of the heat exchanger faces in the engine room, wherein

the engine, the heat exchanger, and the cooling fan are disposed side by side in the engine room in a transverse direction of the construction machine orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the construction machine, the heat exchanger being disposed at a rightmost position or at a leftmost position among the engine, the heat exchanger, and the cooling fan,

the main air inlet port is disposed on a side opposite to the side where the heat exchanger is disposed in the transverse direction, and opened toward the exterior of the engine room, and

the air intake duct extends in the transverse direction, while passing through an upper portion of the engine room.